DHL study shows how people shop the world

A study conducted by DHL e-commerce that compares consumer behavior across 20 markets has created a detailed look into how people shop around the world.



The “Shop the World” survey, which uses data from some 11,000 respondents, shows the growing prominence and earning potential of ecommerce and distance selling operations in different countries.



Most notably, the market for distance sales generated some 616 billion Euros ($833 billion U.S.), and is growing. The country with the largest projected growth in distance in the next several years is China — home of B2B ecommerce marketplace Alibaba, which has been making headlines as it sets its sights on an IPO — which analysts say might bring in as much as $20 billion.



More than focus on earning potential, though, the study illuminates how consumers make buying decisions. For example, European consumers in Britain and Germany do 94% of their purchasing in the distance selling market, whereas consumers in emerging markets are less keen to buy online.



For DHL this study means concentrating its efforts on offering a wider range of services to fit the broad market for online buying.